May 2nd 2024.
Stuart Bingham walked into his World Championship quarter-final against the legendary Ronnie O'Sullivan with no expectations, and boy did he have a blast! The carefree attitude he adopted proved to be the key to his stunning victory against the Rocket, as he savored every moment of the intense match at the Crucible.
The game was a rollercoaster ride, filled with both mistakes and moments of brilliance from both players. The first two sessions ended with a tie of 4-4 and 8-8, and the tension only grew as the score reached 10-10 on Wednesday evening.
At 8-6 down, things looked a bit bleak for Bingham after O'Sullivan scored consecutive breaks of 79 and 84. But this was the moment when Bingham's carefree approach paid off, as he responded with a magnificent 125 and a 92 of his own.
"I think something just clicked in my game," said the 2015 world champion. "I was enjoying myself, going toe-to-toe with the greatest player of all time. I still can't believe I came out on top! I was playing my shots, even when I didn't feel fully confident, but they were going in. It's a huge result for me."
The final two frames of the afternoon session were played with the dividing screen lifted, adding to the electrifying atmosphere at the Crucible. Bingham had come through qualifying to make it to this stage, and the overwhelming support from the crowd was a testament to his talent and hard work.
"The screen went up, and I probably had only two percent of the crowd on my side," Bingham recalled. "But when I looked around, there was no better place to be. A sense of calmness came over me, and I went on to score a perfect 100 and a 90. That was it, game on!"
This is the second time Bingham has defeated O'Sullivan in a Crucible quarter-final, the first being in 2015 when he went on to win the title. When asked if this previous victory took some pressure off, Bingham was not entirely convinced.
"Of course, those 19 other defeats against him mean something," he said. "But out there on the table, I was just enjoying myself. Winning or losing didn't matter to me. I was relishing every single moment."
Bingham had no expectations of beating Ronnie, and he was surprised by his own performance. "I didn't feel like my game was quite there. I was giving away too many chances," he admitted. "But when it mattered, my game was on point. I just hope it stays that way for the next three days and then another two days."
Bingham's next opponent in the semi-finals will be Jak Jones, a Welshman who is making his first appearance on the one-table set-up at the Crucible. Jones caused a huge upset earlier on Wednesday by defeating world number two Judd Trump, who later admitted to struggling with the pace of the game.
On the challenge that lies ahead, Bingham said, "Every game is different. Playing Ronnie probably helped, because you know what to expect. If you don't play well, you'll lose. I played well and I won. I'm sure it'll be the same with Jak."
Jones has a very calm demeanor, and Bingham has played against him before, losing 4-0 at the 2022 Gibraltar Open. "He absolutely whooped my arse," Bingham joked. "So I know it's going to be a tough game. He's never experienced the one-table set-up, so he'll have to settle into that. But you just have to take each session as it comes and see what happens."
In the end, the most important thing for Bingham is to continue enjoying himself and playing his best snooker. "I'm just taking it one match at a time," he said. "I'm not thinking too far ahead. I'm just grateful to be here and competing against the best players in the world."
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